Headlight dimmer



Patented Jan. 30, 1925.

waman 5,1% nani-mona; maman.

'application -lled October 18;"1922. I Ecria1,.fllo, 594,788.

.Toallw/wmitmaa/concern:'4 Be it known that 1,'WAL'rnn, S. HAM- innmmz, a citizen of the United States, rej-A siding et Baltimore, and State of Maryland',`

have invented certaingnew and useful I-mprovements in Headlight Dimmers, of which the following is aspecilicatlon. n Y

The present invention. relates .to headlight dimmers'and hais-for itsbjeet'the provision f' 1o of improved means for reducing or dimming, Y 'at will, the intensity of illumination of the 'headlights of automobiles or the like.

ln carrying out my invention I provide a device adapted to be mounted on the floor of an automobile vehicle` for example, in front A`-of the seat of the driver, and comprising a member adapted to he depressed by the foot for switching into the lighting circuit a. suilicient amount of iesstance to reduce the ilitensitlil of the electric headlights to the desired extent.

r1`he invention is illustrated on the aecompunying drawing, iu which the figure is a. central vertical section of n dimmer embodying nl v invention, showing the same connected in the circuit of a pair of headv lirhts and a sourrcof current.

lhe dimmer comprises a suitable hase 1 of insulating materialadapted to be secured to the ioor 2 of the automobile or the like h v means of screws It, vided in its under side with a central cavity 4 adapted to he closed h v a plate 5, prefer- :ililv of the same material as the base. and which may be secured in position in any suitable manner, as by rement.

(ln the upper face of the hase 1 are mounted, by means' of screws 6. the tuo parts 7 and 8 of a resilient mctalswitch, the part 8 havingr a relatively longr spring arm 9 engaging at its free end beneath the relatively short arm l0 of the part 7.

Surrounding the switch is a metal housing comprising a cylindrical lower member is provided at its loweredgr with an liutturned flange 13, and the screws 2l pass therethrough and secure the member 1l to the base l. The rover l2 has an inturned edge flange 14 which co-opcrates with the outturned upper edge l-'i of the member .l1 to prevent the parts of the housing from being completcl)y separated, :xt the same time permitting relative axial movement there-be- The has-e 1 is prog ll and a cover memlicr l2. 'Fhemicmlier 1l 'i tomen.Y The c'veri1-2ca`riies a button-:16 of insulating material which bears on the spring armf9 of the switch. Y

Arranged within the cavity 4 of the base 1 is a resistance coil 17, having its terminals secured under the heads of the screws 6. As shown, the headlights 18 are com, .nected in 'serieswith each other and with the" bttery`19 by the wires 20, 21, 22 and 23, the wires 20 and 23 passing through the Hoor of the automobile or the like and through the base 1 of the dimmer device, as shown, and having their ends secured under th heads of the screws 6. The usual dashboard switch 24-is also interposed in the circuit.

`Wit-l1 the parts of the device in the position illustrated on the drawing, the resistance coil 17 is short-circuited by the resilient metal switch. 7, 8, the latter offering little resistance to the passage of the current, so that practically no current passes through the resistance coil. the headlights-i the driver places his foot lightly on the cover 12 with the button 16 and epresses it thereby-moving the spring arm 9 out of contact with the arm 10, an insulated stop member 25 being provided on said base to limit the downward movement of said spring'arm to prevent contact there- 0f with the screw" 6. .All of the current is `then.compelled to pass through the resistance coil 17 and theV headlightsare dimmed. W hen the driver`removes his foot from the cover 12 the spring arm 9 again makes con tact with the arm 10, whereby the resistance coil is short-circuited by the switch 7, 8, and thelleadlights-a in become bright.

Having thus cscribed one form in which my invention may be embodied, it being understood however that modifications may be made without departing from its scope, what I claim and desire to secure by Let` ters Patent ist* 1 -headlight .diiume'r, .comprising a base memli'erjoffiiisulriting material adapted to lie secured to the Hoor of an automobile and having :i Cavity therein Openingr through one` face ofmsaid base member. a dimming resistance arranged in said cavity, a plate of insulating material Secured to said hase member and closing the mouth of said car ity, a switch comprising a stop and a spring arm'secured to said base member by posts Vlhen. it is desired to dim having the terminals of said resistance secured thereto, said arm being normally maintained by its own resiliency in contact vwith said stop, and a mounted on said -hase member and enclosing said switch,

said having a depi'eible metal cover, pnovi ed with a butbon of insulating material engaging said bpi'ing arm, whereby when said cover is depressed said spring arm is moved out of Contact with said stop l0 to open said switch.

In testimony whereof l affix my Signat-ure.

WALTER S. HAMBURGER. 

